Semielliptic spring.



No. 754,715. PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

T. A. SHEA.

SEMIELLIPTIG- SPRING. I

'APPLIOATION FILED JULY .8, 1903.-

INVENTUR ATTORNE UNITED STATES Patented March 15, 1904:.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. SHEA, OF OSVVEGO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE B. SLOAN, JR,OF OSWVEGO, NEW YORK.

SEMIELLIPTIC SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,715, dated March15, 1904;.

Application filed July 8, 1903. Serial No. 164,694. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

- Be it known that I, THOMAS A. SHEA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oswego, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Semielliptic Springs;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to end plates for semielliptic springs, to whichthe stirrup carrying the load is fitted; and it consists in 'such aconstruction of the end plate that it may be set or adjusted in positionon the end of the main leaf of a spring of ordinary construction andthere locked securely by the assembling of the other parts of the springwithout the use of the tool to bend or weld the parts into engagementand with no inconvenient modification in the form of the spring.

1 My invention consists in forming the end plate with an extension onits outer end and extending downwardly and inwardly to engage both withthe end of the main leaf and with its under surface, so that the endplate is locked securely in position by the engagement therewith of thesecond leaf.

My invention will be understood by reference to the drawings herewith,in which the reference-letters of the specification indicate thecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figures I to VII illustrate my invention applied to a so-called gib endplate, Figs. VIII to XI to a stirrup end plate. Fig. I shows my endplate in position on a spring, at one end shown in elevation, at theother in section. Figs. II, III, IV, and V are respectively sideelevation, corresponding section, end elevation, and top plan of an endplate enlarged. Figs. VI and VII show the ends, respectively, of thefirst and second leaves of a spring for a gib end plate and hanger. Fig.VIII is a longitudinal section of a stirrup end plate on its spring.Figs. IX and X are re' spectively side elevation and bottom plan of astirrup end plate enlarged. Fig. XI is the end of a suitable form ofsecond leaf for a stirrup end plate.

be flush with the outer edge of the end plate,

and its usual slot 8 is elongated to receive the lug. The end plate isgrooved at 11 for pin 12 of hanger 13, depending through usual slots 14and 15 in the end plate and main leaf, respectively. 18 is the usualstrap or band. In the other views the end plate is adapted to receivethe so-called stirrup-hanger 20, depending on each side. The end plateand main leaf are unslotted, and the second leaf is provided with a slot21, merely of sufficient size or length to receive the lug, whose outerend is preferably rounded snugly to fit the end of the slot, thoughthese parts maybe of any suitable form, and the lug might under somecircumstances be made thinner and the leaf-slot merely'in the form of adepression on the upper surface to receive it.

I' prefer to make my end plates with side flanges 23 to engage with theedges of the main leaf and to assist in maintaining the end platessecurely in position against lateral strains. As the sides of the endplate should be flush with the edges of the spring, these flanges arecurved on their inner surfaces and are merely of sufficient depth to fitthe upper portion of the rounded edges of the 'main leaf.

I do not limit myself to the exact form here shown, as that may bevaried without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

. My end plate,economically made of wrought or malleable iron or othersuitable material, requires no adjustment or tool to secure it in place,for it is merely set by hand on the end of the main leaf and theresecurely locked in place by the engagement of the second leaf when theparts are assembled and secured by the band, so that it cannot beremoved without removing the securing band, strap, or bolt. When this isdone, the end plate is released and may be removed, to be restored toposition uninjured when the parts are reassembled. One of its greatadvantages is that it may be used with springs which are not speciallyconstructed to receive it, any such modification of springsbeinginconvenient for the railroad company or other user commonly notprovided with special tools. Bending a leaf of the spring or cuttingrecesses in it or otherwise mutilating a leaf, particularly the ends ofthe main leaf, adds to the expense, complicates the manufacture, and ismost objectionable, because it weakens the spring itself. The onlychange required in the spring is easily effected in any shop, consistingmerely in elongating the slot in the second leaf or in punching a shortslot therein to receive the lug, requiring only the ordinary tool. Thesecond leaf is also slightly longer than the first or main leaf.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, an end plate fitted to aleaf-spring, and having an end projection to engage with end and undersurface of the main leaf and to be engaged by the second leaf.

' 2. As a new article of manufacture, an end plate fitted to aleaf-spring, and having an integral end extension extending firstdownwardly to engage with the end of the main leaf and then inwardly toengage with the under surface of the main leaf, and adapted to beengaged also by the second leaf.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an end plate for semiellipticsprings, substantially equal in width to the spring and provided with ashoulder or flange extending across its end, equal in depth and lengthto the end of the main leaf, and with an in wardly-extending lugcentrally arranged on the under surface of the shoulder, adapted toengage with the under surface of the main leaf and with an opening inthe second leaf.

4:. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf ofusual form and the second leaf perforated near its end, of an end plateor bearingplate fitted to rest on the main leaf, an integral shoulder onthe plate fitted to the end of the main leaf, and an ingral locking-lugon the shoulder to engage with the under surface of the main leaf andwith a perforation in the second leaf.

5. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf of usualform and a second leaf perforated near its end and extending outwardlybeyond the main leaf, of an end plate fitted to rest on the outer end ofthe plate, substantially equal in depth to the thickness of the mainleaf, and an integral lug on the lower surface of the shoulder, inwardlyextending therefrom to engage with the under surface of the main leafand to fit the outer end of the perforation in the second leaf.

6. In a semielliptic spring. the combination with the main leaf of usualform and with the second leaf slotted near its end and extendingoutwardly beyond the main leaf, of an end plate or bearing-plate fittedto the upper surface of the main leaf at its end, an integral flange orshoulder extending across the end of the plate and downwardly dependingtherefrom, substantially equal in depth to the thickness of the mainleaf and adapted to engage with its end, an integral lug on the lowersurface of the flange inwardly extending to engage with the undersurface of the main leaf and adapted to engage with the outer end of aslot in the second leaf.

7. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf of usualform, of an end plate fitted to rest on the main leaf at its end, anintegral flange or shoulder extending across the outer end of the endplate and being substantially equal in depth to the thickness of saidleaf, an inwardly-extending lug on the lower surface of the flangehaving a curved front end and adapted to engage with the under surfaceof the main leaf, and the second leaf having its end extending outwardlyto lie substantially flush with the outer end of the end-plate shoulderand provided with a slot fitting said lug.

8. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf of usualform, of an end plate or bearing-plate fitted to rest'on the end of themain leaf, integral side flanges on the plate curved on their innersurfaces to en gage with the upper portion of the main leaf and havingtheir outer surfaces arranged substantially flush with the widestportion of the main leaf, an integral flange or shoulder extendingacross the end of the end plate and downwardly extending to an extentsubstantially equal to the thickness of the end main leaf to engagetherewith, an integral lug having a curved outer end on the lowersurface of said flange or shoulder and inwardly extending therefrom toengage with the under surface of the main leaf, and the second leafhaving its end arranged to extend outwardly beyond the main-leaf end andto lie flush with the end of the end plate, and provided with a slotnear its end formed to receive said. lug and fitted to the curved outerend, substantially as described and shown.

9. As a new article of manufacture, an end plate for a leaf-spring,substantially equal in width to the spring and provided with a shoulderor flange substantially equal in depth to the thickness of the mainleaf, said flange having an extension to engage with the under surfaceof the main leaf and with an opening in the lower leaf or leaves.

10. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf havingrounded edges of usual form, of an end plate fitted to the end of themain leaf and provided with integral side flanges less in depth thanone-half the thickness of the main leaf, said flanges being rounded ontheir inner surfaces to fit the sides of the leaf and having straightouter surfaces to lie flush with the outer edge of the main leaf.

11. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf havingrounded edges of usual form, of an end plate having an integralextension to engage with the end and under surface of the main leaf, andintegral side flanges on the plate less in depth than the thickness ofthe main leaf, rounded on their inner surfaces to fit the sides of theleaf, and having outer faces lying substantially THOMAS A. SHEA.

Witnesses:

C. C. SoHoENEoK, M. E. GAGoN.

